Vietnam and Ireland share many similarities in their histories of struggle for independence, their diverse and unique cultures, as well as the resilient, open-hearted, and kind nature of their peoples. This is a significant point for both countries to strengthen their connections, cooperate with, and support each other in development.
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Party General Secretary and State President To Lam (Photo: vnexpress.net) |
Ireland is one of the most dynamic developed economies with a top global business environment. It is seen as an international center for education and innovation with a young and talented workforce. It hosts many research centers focusing on key industries, numerous multinational technology corporations, and vibrant startups operating in foundational technology, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, robotics, and the Internet of Things.
Since the establishment of their diplomatic ties on April 5, 1996, the bilateral relationship has positively developed, achieving significant milestones. Politically and diplomatically, the two sides have maintained regular exchanges of delegations and high-level meetings, including the official visit to Ireland by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in 2008 and the state visit to Vietnam by President Michael D. Higgins in 2016. The two countries have shown their close coordination in multilateral forums and international organizations.
In terms of economic and trade cooperation, Ireland is currently Vietnam’s sixth largest trading partner in the European Union (E.U.), with bilateral trade turnover reaching USD 3.5 billion in 2023 and USD 2.73 billion in the first seven months of 2024. To date, Ireland has 41 active projects with a registered investment capital of USD 60.82 million, ranking 55th out of 147 countries and territories investing in Vietnam.
Ireland considers Vietnam a priority partner in its development cooperation policy, focusing on education, gender equality, climate change response, and support for ethnic minorities. It continues to provide non-refundable official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam in such areas as hunger elimination and poverty reduction, education and training, support for people with disabilities, and mine clearance.
Cooperation in education and training holds an important position in the bilateral relationship. Ireland boasts its advanced education with many prestigious universities worldwide. In recent years, Ireland has provided approximately 250 scholarships for Vietnamese graduate students through scholarship programs for master's degrees in business administration, finance, economics, marketing, project management, information technology, computer science, engineering, pharmacy, and applied languages.
Cooperation in agriculture, culture, defense, security, and a number of other strong fields between Vietnam and Ireland continues to be promoted but is evaluated to remain modest and not commensurate with the excellent political relations and significant cooperation potential between the two countries.
On the basis of the achievements in bilateral relations over the past nearly 30 years, the state visit to Ireland by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam will contribute to enhancing political trust and strengthening the bilateral friendship and cooperation, especially in the fields of economy, trade, investment, science, technology, innovation, education, training, and agriculture. It is believed that this visit will be successful, contributing to deepening the Vietnam-Ireland relationship in a substantive and effective manner that aligns with the new situation.
Translated by Tran Hoai